The Road Not Traveled
by MartaJones
Summary: This is just a bit of odd-ness that woke me up today and wouldn't go away. It's set during Mass Effect 1 and while Shepard and others may make an appearance, they aren't the main characters. This is a Ashley Williams/Kaiden Alenko story about finding a road not traveled. This may be a 4 part to match the poem by Frost


The handsome, dark haired man pushed right past the smaller woman and entered the door, throwing himself into a chair and tossing his arm dramatically over his eyes. "Dammit Ashley, she's down THERE again!"

Ashley Williams shut the door quietly, turning to the man and sighed, part of her wanted to gaze at him in awe, then rip his clothes off and ride him until they burned up; another part wanted to slap him senseless. "Hello to you too, Kaiden…do come in…"

Removing his arm, Kaiden took a look at Ashley, wearing an oversized tee shirt and leggings and frowned, "I'm sorry…did I wake you?" Ashley shook her head, moving a book of Frost's poetry of the other chair and sitting down, turning to look at Kaiden Alenko across the tiny table between the two chairs.

"No…I was awake; just reading. Now want to tell me what's going on?"

Frustrated once more, Kaiden stood up and began to pace the tiny quarters, "Shepard. She's down in the shuttle bay _**again**_…"

Shaking her head, Ashley said, "So?"

Kaiden turned to glare at Ashley, "SO? She's down there with THEM! What the hell does she see in them?" Amused, Ashley carefully marked her place in the book and move it back on the table, fidgeting a little.

"I don't know, Kaiden…you know she's friends with Garrus and Wrex…and Tali too. But she's always talking to everyone. It's what makes her a great Commander; she keeps close to her crew."

Kaiden snorted, dropping into his chair, "Yeah…that's a good word for it _close_. I thought you of all people would be more upset about what she's doing…"

Looking uncomfortable, Ashley got up and moved to straighten her already immaculate quarters, "Well…I was for a while. I mean, I'm never going to marry an alien, but spending time with them, I've learned that they're not so bad…. And Tali, Garrus and Wrex are good people…they're…_friends_"

Shaking his head, Kaiden glanced at her and said, "Where did this open mindedness come on, Ash?"

Now she was getting irritated, she hated poking at herself in the best of times, and this situation made her even more uncomfortable, "I don't know, ok? It's just really hard to hate people when you see that they feel the same way you do. I've seen Wrex mourn for his people, Tali cry when a friend died….Garrus is devoted to the Commander and I've seen him risk his neck a hundred times to protect her. Every single one of them is in it to win it….they're determined to make sure we defeat Seren. They're…crewmates."

Glaring again, Kaiden was back to being pissed, "Yeah, but have you seen the amount of times she spends down there with Garrus" he made quote in the hair over the next work, "_working_" on the Mako?"

Ashley, now supremely uncomfortable, nodded, not meeting his eyes, "Yeah…I know. She spends a lot of time there…..the crew even has a bet about it…"

"_**WHAT**_?" shouted Alenko, "What the hell are they betting on?"

Ashley didn't look him in the eyes, instead she shrugged, playing it off "I…I don't know. I just heard it mentioned in passing…." Kaiden was no fool, however and realized she was meeting his eyes. His own eyes widened as he said, "Oh my God! They're taking bets on if she'll _fuck _Garrus? A **turian**?"

Ashley coughed, actually the bet was how soon that event was going to occur…everyone aboard had noticed that Shepard was fascinated with the turian…oh, she enjoyed the company of the Krogan and Quarian too…and her open door policy with her crew was well known and respected. BUT, many of the crew figured that she and Garrus were attached, and attracted, to each other. SO there was a pool as to when they would…err notice and move on the feelings. Her mind was drawn back to Kaiden as he asked her a question,

"So where do I run in the betting?"

Looking confused, Ashley said, "huh?"

Kaiden frowned, "Well, I guess the bet is who Shepard will sleep with….and I know I must be in the running….please tell me I'm still in the lead?"

Ashley swallowed, this was sooo not a conversation that she wanted to have, thankfully, she was interrupted by Joker,

"Ash, the Commander wants you ready to go to Noveria…be in the cargo bay in 15"

Relieved Ashley said, "Thanks Joker", then looked at Kaiden in mock disappointment, "We'll have to continue this discussion later, Kaiden…duty calls…." Kaiden levered himself up out of a chair and said,

"Yeah, ok…I know that **I** won't be going down with you…she _ALWAYS_ takes the turian these days…"

As Kaiden let her quarters, Ashley couldn't help but watch him leave, sighing a little. She thought the man was supremely handsome…but he only had eyes for Shepard. Shaking her head, she turned to grab her gear. It was a waste, really…Shepard might not want the handsome Alliance man, but she sure as hell did. Shoot, she'd take him in a heartbeat, but he treated her like a little sister. Grimacing, she began to suit up, thinking, "Hell of a thing…I want him, he wants Shepard and Shepard doesn't even see him."

Grabbing her helmet, she left the room, shaking her head as she recalled the poem she'd been reading,

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,  
And sorry I could not travel both  
And be one traveler, long I stood  
And looked down one as far as I could  
To where it bent in the undergrowth;


End file.
